Decorative articles

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION COMPRISES A THIN LAYER OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE PLASTISOL WHICH IS APPLIED THROUGH AN OPEN-WORK DESIGN IN A SILK SCREEN ONTO A RELEASE MATERIAL. THE LAYER OF POLYVINYLCHLORIDE PLASTISOL MAY BE MADE THICKER OR THINNER DEPENDING UPON ITS PROPOSED USE AND THE THICKNESS OF THE SCREEN. THE POLYVINYLCHLORIDE FORMS A BASE MATERIAL AND IS IN A TACKY CONDITION. A MULTIPLICITY OF LIGHT REFLECTIVE PARTICLES, EACH OF THE PARTICLES BEING COATED WITH A LAYER OF TRANSPARENT POLYVINYLCHLORIDE SUCH THAT THE LIGHT REFLECTIVE QUALITY OF EACH PARTICLES IS NOT RETARDED.   THE COATED LIGHT REFLECTIVE PARTICLES AFTER BEING RANDOMLY FLOCKED ONTO SAID BASE MATERIAL IS THEREAFTER PERMANENTLY AFFIXED TO THE TOP SURFACE THEREOF BY A FUSION PROCESS AND THEREAFTER COOLED. THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID BASE MATERIAL HAS APPLIED THERETO A COATING OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL WHEREBY SAID DECORATED BASE MATERIAL MAY THEREAFTER BE ADHERED TO A FLAT OR MULTIFACETED SURFACE, OR WITHOUT THE ADHESIVE USED AS AN ORNAMENT.

April'23, 1914 v KUKOFF 3,806,397

DECORATIVE ARTICLES Filed June 8, 1972 3i Z 40 J4 United States PatentU.S. Cl. 161-4 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The inventioncomprises a thin layer of polyvinyl chloride plastisol which is appliedthrough an open-work design in a silk screen onto a release material.The layer of polyvinylchloride plastisol may be made thicker or thinnerdepending upon its proposed use and the thickness of the screen. Thepolyvinylchloride forms a base material and is in a tacky condition. Amultiplicity of light reflective particles, each of the particles beingcoated with a layer of transparent polyvinylchlorlde such that the lightreflective quality of each particle is not retarded. The coated lightreflective particles after being randomly flocked onto said basematerial is thereafter permanently affixed to the top surface thereof bya fusion process and thereafter cooled. The bottom surface of said basematerial has applied thereto a coating of adhesive material whereby saiddecorated base material may thereafter be adhered to a flat ormultifaceted surface, or without the adhesive used as an ornament.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention The inventionrelates to a decorated material which has permanently atfixed theretoreflective particles.

(2) Description of the prior art Heretofore, numerous attempts have beenmade to provide decorative materials which may be fixed to flat ormultifaceted surfaces or surfaces which are being continually flexed.The earlier efiorts resulted in numerous failures because of severalreasons.

Firstly, the decorative materials were usually comprised of a cloth orpaper base material on which glitter material was glued. In thissituation the glitter material continuously flecked-off creating aplaguing cleaning problem for the housewife.

Secondly, the glue or adhesive material which was supposed to hold theglitter material to the base material would become rigid so that thematerial was not flexible. This nonflexibility severely limited the useof the decorated material, as a practical matter, to flat rigidsurfaces.

Thirdly, prior attempts at providing decorative materials, because ofthe structure and materials used could not be washed or dry cleaned soif the decoration became dirty, as so it must with our air pollutionproblems, the decoration had to be discarded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the general object of the presentinvention to avoid and overcome the difficulties with and deficienciesin prior art decorative materials by providing an inexpensive and sturdydecoration, which may be applied to flat or multifaceted surfaces and tosurfaces which may be continuously flexed or merely be used by itself asa decoration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a decoration fromwhich reflective particles will not flake off.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an extremelythin base material which may be flexible in all directions and which canpermanently support highly reflective particles thereon.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide apolyvinylchloride thick or thin base material with highly reflectiveparticles randomly flocked thereon and which are permanently aflixedthereto in such a manner that the base material is flexible in alldirections without loosening the reflective particles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a decorationwhich may be cleaned without removing any of the reflective particlesfrom the base materials to which they are attached.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a basematerial which is comprised of a flowable plastisol which will flexiblysolidify when cured.

Still a further object of the present invention is to permit adecoration to be aflixed to an infinite variety of surfaces.

The above objects and other objects which will become more apparent asthe description proceeds are achieved by providing a decorative materialwhich comprises a thin or thick polyvinylchloride base material formedby sponging or pouring a polyvinylchloride plastisol through a design ina screen onto a release material and thereafter applying a multiplicityof randomly shaped highly reflective particles by flocking the same tosaid base material. Each of the highly reflective particles being coatedwith a transparent layer of polyvinylchloride material such that thelight reflective qualities of the particles are not inhibited. Each ofsaid light reflective particles being permanently aflixed to said basematerial when said base material and particles are heated so that thelayer of polyvinylchloride coating the reflective particles combineswith the polyvinylchloride of the base material. After removing therelease paper the bottom surface of the base material may be providedwith a coating of adhesive material and the adhesive may thereafter becovered with a release paper thereover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to more readily understandthe nature of the invention, I provide the drawings listed below whereinlike numerals of reference represent similar parts throughout therespective views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a decorative article;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the application through a screen toform a base material;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the decorative article;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a coated light reflective particles;and

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the steps of curing theparticles and base material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, adecorative article is generally shown and indicated by the referencenumeral 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the decorative article 10 takes the formof a five-pointed star having a light reflective upper surface 12comprised of a multiplicity of randomly shaped light reflectiveparticles 14. Although a five-pointed star is shown as the decorativearticle 10, it should be understood that the article may take any one ofan infinite number of shapes or forms varying from a circular shape to amultifaceted shape. I have successfully shape my article, for example,in the forms of names, Christmas trees, stars, all of the geometricfigures and many others. The decorative article 10 is formed by applyinga quantity of polyvinylchloride plastisol through a screen 16 and havingthe desired design 18 cut therein by sponging the plastisol over theopen-work design 18 in the screen 16. In this manner a layer 20 ofpolyvinylchloride is formed in a particular shape, as dictated by theopening or design 18 in the screen 16. The thickness of the layer 20 maybe a function of the thickness of the screen 16 and to some extent theviscosity of the plastisol.

Disposed beneath the screen 16, there is placed a release material 22such as a release paper or Teflon on which the layer 20 ofpolyvinylchloride plastisol is deposited through the screen. Whateverdesign is formed in the screen 16 will be formed on the release material22, by the polyvinylchloride plastisol.

The polyvinylchloride plastisol layer 20 forms a base material 24 onwhich the multiplicity of light reflective particles 14 may be flocked.Each of the light reflective particles 14, I prefer to use, are aluminumparticles 26 which are coated with a thin layer 28 of polyvinylchloride.Although I prefer to use aluminum as the material for the particles 26,other light reflective materials which may be coated withpolyvinylchloride may also be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, each particle 14 is comprised of a metalized lightreflective aluminum portion 26 with a layer or coating 28 ofpolyvinylchloride therearound. The polyvinylchloride coating 28 istransparent such that the light reflective qualities of the aluminumparticle 26 is not inhibited.

As indicated earlier the thickness of the base material 24, formed bythe plastisol, may be governed by the thickness of the screen 16. Forexample, if the silk screen 16 is one-sixteenth of an inch thick thenthe distances between the top surface 30 of the release material 22 andthe top surface 32 of the screen 16 will be approximately one-sixteenthof an inch. Any polyvinylchloride plastisol disposed between the topsurface 30 of the release paper 22 and upper surface 32 of the screen 16will define the thickness of the base material 24. Since the basematerial 24 is formed by the plastisol, the flexibility of the basematerial 24 is a direct function of the thickness thereof so thatflexibility of the base material 24 is a direct function of thethickness thereof so that if a more rigid article is to be formed thethickness of the screen should be such that there would be created athicker base material 24. Conversely, if a higher degree of flexibilityis required, the thinness of the screen 16 would provide a thin basematerial 24 which is more flexible in nature.

It should be particularly noted that designs of the base material 24 maybe formed on the release material 22 without using a screen of any kind.The use of the screen is to be able to reproduce a particular design orproduce many designs at one time on the release material 22. Further,the use of the screen 16 provides base materials of uniform thicknesswhich simplifies the curing technique hereinafter to be described. Whenthe polyvinylchloride plastisol is placed, in whatever manner preferred,on the release paper 22, it is in a tacky or sticky condition.

With the plastisol in such condition, the randomly shapedpolyvinylchloride coated light reflective particles 14 are flocked ontothe still tacky or plastisol. A portion of each of the coated particles14 will, by their own weight, be slightly embedded in the top surface 33of the layer of plastisol 20. In order to permanently aflix each of thelight reflective particles 14 in place in the plastisol, the tackypolyvinylchloride with the partially embedded particles 14 may besubjected to an interval of heat. The interval of heat may vary fromthirty (30) seconds to one minute (depending upon the thickness of thebase material 24) at temperatures ranging from 300 F. to 350 F. As shownin FIG. 5, the layer of plastisol 20 with the light reflective particle14 flocked thereon may be placed on a conveyor belt 35 while eitherstill resting on the release material 22 or after having been removedtherefrom, and subject to heat which emanates from heat lamps 37.

During the exposure of the plastisol and flocked light reflectiveparticles 14 to the heat, as above specified, the outer coating 28 onthe aluminum particles 26 may partially melt and become fused with thebase material 24 such that the coated light reflective particles 14 willbe permanently aflixed to the base material 24. The manner of fusion ofeach particle 14 to the base material, in essence, resembles a lightreflective member in a transparent container which is permanentlyaffixed to the base material. With such arrangement the combination ofbase material and embedded particles may be subjected to ordinarycleaning, washing or dry cleaning processes which will not dislodge thelight reflective particles 14 from the base material 24.

After the light reflective particles 14 have been fused to the basematerial 24 the article may be removed from the release material 22leaving a decorated piece of base material 24. The bottom surface 34 ofthe base material 24 which was formerly in contact with the releasematerial 22 may be coated with an adhesive material 36. The adhesivematerial 36 thereafter may have release paper 40 applied thereto toprevent its sticking to other materials during the storage of thedecorative articles 10. When the decorative article 10 is to be appliedeither to a fabric or other surface to be decorated the release paper 40may merely be removed and the adhesive bottom surface of the basematerial 24 may be urged against the surface to be decorated by physicalpressure. It should be particularly understood that the type of surfaceand material to which the decorative article may be applied is in part afunction of the flexible nature of the base material 24 after the curingor fusion process.

For example, the decorative material may be applied to a multifacetedsurface, if the plastisol base is thin enough to permit the properflexibility. For application to garments, the plastisol may take athicker cross section and, therefore, not require a high degree offlexibility.

The decorative articles, with the complete upper surface of the basematerial being covered by the light reflective particles forms arandomly or irregularly textured upper surface which is required tocreate the highly light reflective design desired. For example, it woulddefeat the beauty of the decorative article if the light reflectivesurface created by the randomly flocked particles was merely flat andregular or pressed down to create a flat surface. The arbitrary natureof the reflective surface adds to the beauty of the decorative articles14 of different shapes and this is further enhanced by the fact that theparticles cannot be flocked off even though the base material isflexible in all directions.

It will be recognized that the base material and flocked particles maybe used as hanging ornaments alone, without resorting to the use of theadhesive material 36. In fact, many ornamentations have been made as Ihave described above.

In any case, the application of the decorative article is extremelybroad and the variety of designs are almost infinite in nature.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, preferred and alternativeembodiments have been shown and described in detail, it should beparticularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto orthereby.

I claim:

1. A decorative article comprising a layer of tacky polyvinylchlorideplastisol formed in a particular design, a plurality of light reflectiveparticles flocked onto said tacky polyvinylchloride plastisol, each ofsaid light reflective particles having a polyvinylchloride coatingthereabout, said coating about each light reflective particle beingfused to said layer of polyvinylchloride plastisol, and a surface formedby said flocked multiplicity of light reflective particles beingirregular in nature, said polyvinylchloride plastisol being flexible inall directions after said light reflective particles have been fusedthereto.

2. A decorative article according to claim 1 wherein saidpolyvinylchloride plastisol is provided with a bottom surface which isfree of light reflective particles, said bottom surface being coatedwith an adhesive material, and a release material covering said adhesivematerial.

3. A decorative article in accordance with claim 2. 2,241,365 5/1941Meyer ..161--4X wherein said light reflective particle is composed of a2,624,967 1/1953 Phillipi 161-4X thin layer of aluminum. 2,750,300 6/1956 Kukolf 16187 X 4. A decorative article according to claim 3 wherein3,043,196 7/1962 Palmquist et al 350105 each of said light reflectiveparticles may be randomly 5 3,288,618 11/1966 De Vrics 161---168Xshaped.

References Cited HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner UNITED STiTES aliATENTS6 US Cl.

3,574,043 4/1971 Lu er et 161-1 8 I 2,710,046 6/1955 Markus et al 161-40161 54 410 3,226,287 12/1965 Shanok et a1. 161-4 X

